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Burning issues Don’t politicise education matters
When it comes to hard working individuals in the country, we need to recognise them and give praise to them where praise is due instead of condemning them simply because we do not understand what they stand for regarding the systems they want to introduce to bring improvement in areas where they have been given a task to operate and achieve success.
Not quite long ago we heard of all kinds of attacks from certain individuals against the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Yaw Adutwum. These criticisms are not fair to him because certain individuals who cannot manage the educational system in the country attacked him by saying that he was spoiling the educational system in the country and, therefore, should be relieved of his post as Minister of Education.
UNFORTUNATE COMMENTS
Comments such as these are very unfortunate, especially when they come from those who cannot contribute in any way to make the system better. It is important for us to be circumspect in our criticisms of others whenever we have the opportunity to do so.
Criticisms are always welcome and must be offered to anybody who plays a clean role in the public sector for the good of the country. Criticisms are always welcome but they must be constructive rather than destructive. If this is not done, we can create chaos for the country as a whole.
CONSTRUCTIVE AND DESTRUCTIVE CRITICISM
Constructive criticism refers to a situation where observers are able to see loopholes in what some other person is doing in the country and pointing out the mistakes in a kind hearted manner. Such an approach is always good for society so we need to encourage people to go by this kind of criticism. Constructive criticism has helped countries to develop rather than destroy them. Places like US, UK and many other countries have benefitted immensely from this kind of criticism.
In the case of Africa, on the other hand, people are more interested in destructive criticism which is meant to destroy people put in charge of matters as away of making them fail in society. If we expect those in authority to fail in what they are doing, then we should not expect progress and achievement in any sectors of the economy.
The Minister of Education is one person who has sacrificed his life to save the country so as to ensure that the educational system is modified to become productive and effective so as to serve the interest of the country. Education always has the purpose to ensure that the needs of the country are identified and explored in a manner that will bring solutions to the people in that country. If solutions are found because of the educational system the end result will benefit all the people in the country and thereby make life better for them.
PURPOSE OF EDUCATION
Many years ago, one leader in Africa Julius Nyerere made a point that “education is like sending somebody from a village to go and find something, a solution, and bring it back to save that village. The person then sets off and goes to look for that solution. After finding what he is looking for the person comes back with what he has found to address the problems and challenges facing the village.”
If the challenges and problems are successfully addressed, then what that person brought has served a good purpose and, for that reason, it would mean that the mission has been accomplished in a manner as anticipated by the village. When this happens, we say that what the person has done is like an established educational system. This educational system is, therefore, good and must be adopted.
For Many years people in this country and in many parts of Africa have pointed out and made it clear that the educational system being operated is not serving the purpose for which it is intended. This is because people come out of our science studies without being able to solve simple practical problems facing the country. If we are unable to use our scientific knowledge to solve our problems, then there is something wrong with the educational system which we are operating.
Again, the unemployment rate is growing higher and higher because we are putting emphasis on grammar or Reading and Writing skills instead of on the development of vocational skills. In addition to vocational skills, technical skills are also important. All these, together with grammar education or reading and writing is needed for the full development of the country.
TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL SKILLS
The country must develop, but this can only come about if emphasis is put on vocational and technical skills. We seem to have realised this under the current administration led by the current president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. The person in the seat of education is Dr. Adutwum who is doing his best to bring improvement into the country’s system of education.
He is one of the hardworking people operating in the United States and was found by the current president during a visit to that country. Seeing the good work he was offering to the US, the current president persuaded him to come home and he agreed to do so to serve his own country. According to this man he spoke to some of his managers in the US who also agreed with him that he could come home to his country and help in the national reconstruction programme going on in Ghana.
This is how this Minister of Education left his good job in the US to come home and help in the reconstruction of the nation. It is, therefore, reasonable and proper that we see the good role he is playing as a great sacrifice for his country. It is a great sacrifice because he could have stayed in the United States if he were that selfish and sought to feed himself and his family alone. However, because of his patriotic spirit he decided to come home.
Since his return he has been performing wonderfully well and the government is happy with the pace of work by him and his Ministry. We, therefore, need to encourage him to stay on but not to discourage him to go away. If we discourage him to go away, he will readily be accepted back by his former employers and it is our country that would lose the privileges and benefits attached to his role as Minister of Education.
COMPETENCE AND HUMILITY
He is a competent and humble person who must be encouraged by all for the accomplishment of the task given him. If you do not understand any steps he has taken or is taking, kindly approach or consult him for a clearer picture. We must not destroy the good materials we have so that the country as a whole will benefit from his progress and intelligence even though we can criticise incompetent people.
The Minister of Education must be commended. He deserves strong commendation for the good works he is doing so the opponents in the country must learn to appreciate him to rebuild this country. The semester system which he approved for implementation in pre-tertiary schools was meant to bring relaxation to teachers, parents and students, but he was misunderstood. This explains why he said that the country should go back to the old system, that is, the term system.
Let us appreciate him for what he is doing for the good of the country, so that at the end of it all we shall all benefit from his good intentions.
Contact email/whatsApp address of author:
Pradmat2013@gmail.com (0553318911)
WHEN I cast my mind back to a chance meeting which occurred many, many, years ago, I begin to ask myself several questions, the foremost being, was it really a chance meeting?
I can vividly recall that evening at Nkawkaw, when I together with a friend and classmate, went to say hello to another classmate and also a friend called Afful.
As is usually the case when young men, who the youth of today call boys-boys, who are doing their national service meet, the chit chat will naturally involve the careers we would be pursuing at the University.
As the discussion went on, Afful then mentioned that there was a Mining Engineering course being offered by UST (now Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology) at Tarkwa and it offers opportunity to travel outside, specifically to Germany among others as part of the course.
It immediately caught my attention and I made a decision that, I will be going to pursue a career in Mining at UST School of Mines (now University of Mines and Technology), as it was then called. The fact that only six people were admitted each year for the BSc Mining Engineering, did not bother me at all. My mind was made up.
Prior to this meeting, I had in mind Pharmacy, as the course I was going for and was not interested in any of the other engineering courses, but a little worry I had about the pharmacy was my dislike for the scent of drugs that is associated with pharmacies in our hospitals and how I was going to cope with it.
Therefore when I heard about this mining course which had nothing to do with smell of drugs and the added incentive of travelling to ‘aburokyire’, it settled the issue of the choice of career for me. I was going to become a Mining Engineer, end of story. I never discussed it with any of my friends because except one who was going to University of Ghana, the others wanted to go to UST, Kumasi and the fear was that, if I told them I wanted to go to Tarkwa, they might convince me to change my mind.
The decisive and unflinching resolve to go for Mining Engineering despite the chances of not getting in beats my mind up till date. The funny thing is that Afful, who got me interested in the course and had shown some initial interest, never applied for it but went to pursue a different course altogether.
The logical question is, why did I decide to pay a casual visit to Afful on that particular day and time? If we had gone there say in the afternoon, the chances are, he might not be at home or will have been busy and so we will not have had the opportunity to have a long chat for this issue of mining to emerge.
The answer to the questions that readily comes to mind is that fate has something to do with this meeting and that it was orchestrated by a divine authority who rules and reigns in the life of men and especially for those who put their trust in him, he God, directs their path according to Psalm 37:23.
There is a man whose name must also be mentioned to complete this story, Professor Ralph Asabere. An issue cropped up when I was given admission that caused my admission to be withdrawn after I had reported and duly admitted by the then Head of Department and was therefore compelled to return home.
Before I left the campus at Tarkwa, Mr Ralph Asabere, a lecturer, came to my room and comforted me and told me not to worry and that I should go home and further added that, one year is not a long time and so if I really want to do mining, I should apply again for the next academic year and he shall ensure that I am admitted because I have not been treated fairly. I thanked him and left the campus. A year later, Professor Ralph Asabere honoured his word and the rest is history.
NB: ‘CHANGE KOTOKA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TO KOFI BAAKO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT’
By Laud Kissi-Mensah
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TELOMERES, the protective caps on the ends of chromosomes, play a crucial role in maintaining genomic stability and regulating cellular aging.
The length of telomeres has been associated with lifespan and age-related diseases, with recent studies highlighting sex differences in telomere biology.
This article provides a comprehensive review of the current knowledge on the role of telomeres in the lifespan of men and women, highlighting the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying these differences.
Introduction
Telomeres are repetitive nucleotide sequences (TTAGGG in humans) that cap the ends of chromosomes, protecting them from deterioration and fusion. Telomere length (TL) shortens with each cell division, and when TL reaches a critical threshold, cells enter senescence or undergo programmed cell death (apoptosis).
Telomere shortening has been implicated in aging and age-related diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and dementia.
Sex differences in telomere length
Women generally have longer telomeres than men, with a slower rate of telomere shortening with age.
A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found that women had longer telomeres than men across all age groups.
This sex difference in TL is thought to contribute to the female advantage in lifespan, with women living approximately 5–7 years longer than men on average.
Mechanisms underlying sex differences in telomere length
- Estrogen: Estrogen has been shown to increase telomerase activity, the enzyme responsible for maintaining TL, in human cells. Estrogen also has antioxidant properties, reducing oxidative stress and inflammation, which contribute to telomere shortening.
- Genetic Factors: Genetic variants in telomere-related genes, such as TERT (telomerase reverse transcriptase), have been associated with TL and lifespan. A study published in Nature found that genetic variants in TERT were associated with TL and risk of age-related diseases.
- Lifestyle Factors: Lifestyle factors, such as smoking, physical activity, and diet, can influence TL, with women generally exhibiting healthier lifestyle habits.
Telomere shortening and age-related diseases
Telomere shortening has been implicated in various age-related diseases, including:
- Cardiovascular Disease: Short TL has been associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, including myocardial infarction and stroke.
- Cancer: Telomere shortening is a hallmark of cancer, with cancer cells often exhibiting critically short TL.
- Dementia: Short TL has been associated with increased risk of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease.
Sex differences in telomere shortening and age-related diseases
Women tend to have a slower rate of telomere shortening with age, which may contribute to their lower risk of age-related diseases.
A study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found that women had a slower rate of telomere shortening and lower risk of age-related diseases compared to men.
Clinical implications
- Telomere Length as a Biomarker: TL has been proposed as a biomarker for aging and age-related diseases, with potential applications in clinical practice.
- Telomere-Targeted Therapies: Therapies aimed at maintaining or increasing TL, such as telomerase activators, are being explored for the treatment of age-related diseases.
Conclusion
Telomeres play a critical role in regulating cellular aging, with sex differences in TL contributing to the female advantage in lifespan. Understanding the mechanisms underlying these differences is essential for developing effective prevention and treatment strategies for age-related diseases.
Let’s dive deeper into the topic of telomeres and their role in aging.
What are telomeres?
Telomeres are repetitive DNA sequences (TTAGGG in humans) that cap the ends of chromosomes, protecting them from deterioration and fusion. Think of them like the plastic tips on shoelaces, preventing the chromosomes from unraveling.
How do telomeres affect aging?
- Telomere Shortening: Each time a cell divides, its telomeres shorten. When telomeres become too short, the cell can no longer divide and becomes senescent or undergoes apoptosis (programmed cell death).
- Aging and Telomeres: Telomere shortening is associated with aging and age-related diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and dementia.
Sex differences in telomere length
- Women have longer telomeres: Women generally have longer telomeres than men, which may contribute to their longer lifespan.
- Estrogen’s role: Estrogen has been shown to increase telomerase activity, the enzyme responsible for maintaining telomere length, which may explain why women have longer telomeres.
Factors influencing Telomere length
- Genetics: Genetic variants in telomere-related genes can affect telomere length.
- Lifestyle: Factors like smoking, physical activity, and diet can influence telomere length.
- Stress: Chronic stress can lead to telomere shortening.
Telomeres and age-related diseases
- Cardiovascular Disease: Short telomeres are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Cancer: Telomere shortening is a hallmark of cancer.
- Dementia: Short telomeres are associated with increased risk of dementia.
Potential Applications
- Biomarker for aging: Telomere length could serve as a biomarker for aging and age-related diseases.
- Telomere-Targeted Therapies: Therapies aimed at maintaining or increasing telomere length are being explored for age-related diseases.
BY ROBERT EKOW GRIMMOND THOMPSON
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